THE first day of December 1959 is one of the most pivotal dates in the history of Liverpool Football Club.
That was the day Bill Shankly announced he was leaving Huddersfield Town to take the reins at Anfield.
From that day forth he set about dragging the club from second division wilderness to the top of the English game.
No one man has had the impact on a football club that Shankly manufactured in his 15 years with Liverpool.
From events on the pitch to his extraordinary relationship with the fans, the man from Glenbuck revolutionised the ailing club, setting the standards that paved the way for Liverpool FC to become the most successful club in British football.
Next Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of Shankly's landmark arrival and the the Echo is producing a free 20-page special pull-out souvenir to celebrate his monumental appointment.
'It is in my opinion that Liverpool have a crowd of followers which rank with the greatest in the game,' said Shankly as he put pen to paper at Anfield 50 years ago.
'They deserve success and I hope, in my small way, to be able to do something towards helping them to achieve it.'
From a man who would become renowned for his colourful oratory skills, this was perhaps the understatement of his career.